Beadle's Dime Library No. 299 — page 27: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

st ek rein over a post, the Sportive Sport stepped forth from the crowd betore the hotel. “My wife has just made her appearance,” he said. . ‘* Ah?’ answered Iron Despard, carelessly. Edward Haveland’s eyes flashed, and his nos- trils dilated and quivered, ‘Have you no explanation to make?’ he de- | manded, evidently with an effort to check the expression of bis indignation. ‘None whatever!” replied Iron Despard, neitber defiantly nor sueeringly, but with quiet determination. ‘*Then I demand the reparation which one gentleman accords anotber whom he has injur- ed!” ‘* You shall not be denied, sir.” ‘‘ Gentlemen,” said the Sportive Sport, turn- ing to the spectators, ‘‘there need be few pre- liminaries. The streetis handy. All I ask is that we step far enough away not to disturb my wife, who is sleeping.” ‘* Is it possible,” said Iron Despard, also turn- ing to the crowd, ‘‘that I baveat least one friend in Mulligan’s Bend, who will consent to serve me in a matter of this kind?’ ‘*You have me,” said Six-foot Si, steppin forward, ‘* But—but there must be some wor that will make a leetle better showin’ in this hyar case, Don’t be too proud to speak. Col- onel Dangerfield couldn’t do so cowardly a thing as that without—” Iron Despard interrupted him with an icy smile, ‘‘T see you think well of me—no doubt far better than I deserve. Thank you! But I have nothing to add to whatever the lady has told ou.” **But my God!” cried Si, in a sort of des- peration; for it was not a slight matter to give up the ideal of manly courage with which he had invested Iron Despard, who had stood to him for all that a man anda gentleman should be, “‘ men don’t treat white women like this for nothing!” Iron Despard bowed to him with a smile such as that with which we indulge the undue enthu- siasm of a friend. ‘We shall not better the situation by discus- sion,” he said. ‘* This seems to be a case in which a man hastreated a ‘white’ woman, as you say, in the way you deprecate. Come, gentlemen! we are wasting time,” Then turning to the Sportive Sport, he bowed and said: ‘“‘lam entirely at your service. With you, I think that merely formal preliminaries may be dispensed with.” “If you will please to follow me!” And the two walked down the street, with the crowd at a respectful distance behind. The duello as practiced in the West is a very informal affair. When men are in earnest they do not stand on ceremonious parade, There was no calling upon the seconds to ex- amine or see to the loading of the weapons. Each man used his own, and saw that it was in proper order. The only use for Tiger Dick on one hand and Six-Foot Si on the other, was that there might be some one tocarry off the field the man who should fall. Even the distance was measured informally with the eye, the men taking their positions at will. Neither was peculiar enough on what they considered a trifling detail to make a point of it, They were used to firing at all dis- tances. The Sportive Sport looked stern, yet perfectly calm. He was fully resoived to punish the in- dignity to his wife and the unnecessary peril to which his child was still exposed. A bitter, satirical smile sat on Iron Despard’s f as if it were graven in stone. He was thinking how, in the face of his own recent experience, he bad allowed himself to be won over by Bob Cady’s sweetheart. Her letter written in tears and anguish, had convin him of her truth, in spite of bis prejudice; and he had undertaken this enterprise only that he might reunite the lovers, if only Bob’s life was spared, and lift her above grinding want if her lover was taken away from her by death, Then had come the mockery of fate. A woman was thrown between bim and bis urpose, The evil in him was made to defeat gn ell, be washed his hands of the whole tan- gled affair! For the rest, death would be a relief from the misery that made a hell of his wrecked life, The principals stood face to face: the specta- tors ranged themselves on either side, leaving the street clear from end to end, - ees are you ready?” asked Tiger Dick. No reply was returned; but the men fixed their eyes on each other, An instant of deathlike silence ensued: to be followed by the clear, metallic command: “One! two! three are Ff? The right arm of either combatant went up like a lever; and the instant they reached the line of the eye, two simultaneous flashes and puffs of smoke were followed by a blended report, and the arms fell again together. For one breathless instant both stood firm, | | | —— rr = SS sss es sssesstsestessstsegeseieeeeeeneemeeeeeeeeceessereeereenee ences Three of a Kind. ee —— — and the crowd began to think that neither had been hit. .Then Iron Despard fell forward on his face like a log! CHAPTER XXV. SOUL TO SOUL ONCE MORE. THE Sportive Sport walked deliberately over to his fallen foe, turned him over, thrust his hand into bis breast, and drew forth the crypto- gram. He then turned to the crowd, as pale and stern as he had been ever since he had learned of the disdainful denial of his wife’s plea for rotection, but otherwise as if nothing unusual bat bappened. y Gentlemen,” he said, ‘‘ this is the cause of my child’s peril. When the man before you had it in his power to save a helpless infant and its mother with no risk to himself, he refused to doit. This has now become the price of my child’s safety. Does any one present deny my right to it?” They all understood what that meant. Any man who expressed an adverse opinion would be expected to back it in the one way known to such cases. Whatever their notions of abstract justice, no one cared enough for Bob Cady’s in- terests to maintain them at the mouth of the revolver. Accepting their silence for what it really stood for—tbhat be would not be interfered with in his appropriation of the cipber—be thrust it into bis pocket and, being joined by Tiger Dick, while Six-foot Si went to the assistance of his fallen principal, walked down the street toward the hotel. ‘* Are you hurt?” asked the Tiger. ‘*No. I heard the whiz of the bullet by my head.” Notbing further was said, so it is impossible to tell whether either of them had a suspicion of the truth, which was that lron Despard had not fired at his foe atall. He felt no personal hos- tility toward the Sportive Sport; on the con- trary, he admired him, and fully justified the course he had pursued in tendering the chal- lenge and seeking to avenge bis wrong by tak- ing the life of his wronger. He accepted the consequences of bis own act by offering his body as a target to a man whom he believed to be a dead shot; but that was no reason why he should seek the life of one with whom he really bad no quarrel, . ““Will you please to ascertain whetber the wound jis morta)?’ asked the Sportive Sport of Tiger Dick. vad BEE 1 Bd The Sportive Sport ran up to his wife’s cham- ber. She was still sleeping quietly. He left a kiss on her lips; and a few minutes later was in the saddle, ready to go to negotiate the ex- change of a gold mine for a baby. Tiger Dick made his way to his side, “Well?” ‘“* He is not dead. It is impossible to tell yet how severely he is wounded.” “Thank you!” And he rode away. At the appointed spot be found Joe Moran with the child in his possession, ready for the transfer, ‘* Boss,” said the rascal, with a beaming smile of enthusiasm, “you done that handsome, an’ no mistake! Oh you bet I was whar I could see what was goin’ on! I always calcalate to look after my own affairs. Then I knuw when they air done on the square. Now, thar’s no- y at your heels—-J_ kuow that, Don’t you believe that | am takin’ any chances whar my neck is at stake! Suppose you had tried to rin in a cold deal on me? You wovldn’t ’a’ foun nuther me nur the young-’un! An’ now I look as if I was alone, don’t 1? Waal, jest squint around ye,” : He merely snapped his fingers, and all around the little gan in which they stood, rose a band of masked men, armed to the teeth. Moran grinned. ‘* Boss, you see what thar is in this thing. We mean business, an’ we’ve got the sand to carry it out. Now, I’d like to make you a leetle propo- sition, Your’e a man to my likin’; an’ I’m free to say what I think. What do you say to Loin: us? I'll make you second in command, ow’s that fur an offer?” ‘It does very well as an offer—which I beg to decline.” ‘‘Spoken like a man! An’I always like a man to says what he means an’ means what he says. Now I suppose that you have no notion of a sides ag’in’ us any further in this mat- ter?” “You need no assurance of that. I have my wife to look after: and aside from the compli- cations of this case, it is not likely that I would keep her in such a place as one of these rough mining-camps, nor, while she is so dependent upon me, that I will engage in any enterprise of unnecessary hazard,” ‘Waal, sir, I am glad to hear ye talk so sensible. It’s a pity we hain’t more married men ov’ your way o’ thinking in this part o’ the country. We'd begin to flank our gin shops with churches oo jails, ef we had. Queer, ain’t it, that them two institutions goes togetber? But you’ve got yer kid, an’ I’ve got my docki- ment; so I reckon we kin wish each other good luck an’ good-by)” With this parting the Sportive Sport was al-. lowed to go bis way. The child had been narcotized to still its ery- ° ing; but the effects of the drugs had nearly worn off, so that it woke, and recognizing its father, nestled in his arms and crowed. Who shall describe the tenderness with which be gathered it to his heart, or the impatience with which he urged bis way back to the mother? Never baby received a greater ovation than did this one on its entry into Mulligan’s Bend, ‘Hush! hush!” cried the Sportive Sport, bis delighted smile showing that bis reproof was not unkindly, ‘‘ Do you think that I want the mother awakened by your—excuse me if I say it!—unmusical voices? “Thunder an’ Mars! that’s what J call drawerin’ mild!” cried one. ‘‘ Now, I'd put it —shet up yer saw-mills!” | “Wait until I signal you from the window,” said the Sportive Sport; “‘and then you ma make such demonstration as your good-will prompts; and I will thank you for it, for both myself and wife,” e ran up stairs. Mrs. Haveland yet slept. Carefully he drew down the coverlet, ani placed the infant within the circle of her arm, with its face against her breast. As the little one nestled contentedly, the: mother unconsciously closed her arm atout it. Then the bappy husband and father bent over ber and kissed her lips, calling softly: “ Stella!” The mother opened her eyes with a start, Then followed a glad cry, and— The crowd outside s:w the Sportive Sport open the window and wave his hat. Then they cracked the welkin with their hurrahs. In the midst of this rejoicing a boy rode into Mulligan’s Bend in quest of Edward Haveland. On being summoned, the Sportive Sport re- ceived a telegram which had been sent as far as Denver by wire, and thence by courier, so ur- gent was the message it bore. It read: “Corner broke. All in it ruined. You are mil- lion and quarter ahead. Opportunity of lifetime, Advise me what to do, ASPER HAVELAND.” It is needless to say that this announcement caused the Sportive Sport some excitement. His first impulse was to indite a reply on the spot, giving his uncle discretionary powers; but on second thought he ran up to bis wife. “Stella,” be said, ‘‘my last venture seems to bave turned out quite different from whatevery- j thing indicated when I left New York. Instead of being ruined, as 1 supnosed, we are worth a million and a quarter. Sze! here is a telegram from uncle, hat reply shall I send him?” The wife flushed and paled, glanced rapidly through the telegram, and then lifted her eves wistfully tc ber husband’s face, * Well?’ he asked, ‘“ Would it be a great sacrifice to you, dear, to give up that life?’ she ventured, wee gently. “Why?” he asked, before committing him- self, ‘* Because— I bave been thinking about it all the way out here—making up for my past heedlessness!” she added, with a faint smile. ‘*And it seems to me that t!e feverish cxcite- ment is not bealthful. Besides, Ihave a gru¢ge against it. It is the first and only thing that bas ever come between us!” . Hanging with ber arms about bis neck, and with her bead thrown back, she gezed upinto | his fond eyes with a merry twinkle in her own, as she added: ‘We've got money enough, Ned. Now, in the words of the great general: ‘ Let us have peace!” She pursed up her lips with the coaxing smile - with which she always won him over to her wish; and be accepted the tempting invitation with all that it implied. Giving her his note book and pencil, he said: ‘* Answer to suit yourself.” She took the pencil, and leaning the book agaiust his arm, wrote in dainty script: “ Keep cut | We start East immediately.” “There!” she laughed. ‘Is that technical?” “If brevity and point count for anything, you will certainly Minister of State when women get their rights!” A moment later the courier was on bis way back to flash this reply across the continent, — While the Sportive Sport and his wife were pr: paring to take their departure by the coact, which would leave the Bend in an bour, word was brought by Six-foot Si that Bob Cady: ‘* had jest passed in his chips,” ‘* T will make his sweetheart and ber family 4 my care,” said the Sportive Sport: *‘ and what- ever money can do to repair her loss shall be done. Later he learned that be bad nothing to re- | és was swept as . with a besom of fire by the Indians; and Joe precious — proach himself for in the matter of the crypto- gram; for all of that countr Moran was among the victims—the cipher being lost witb him. | en the coach rolled out of Mulligan’s Bend @ oe v, 4 with the reunited family, it was sped on its way - JOO ECO AMUC S) 4 —: —